


Once Upon a Fairy Tail.

by friendlyfiction



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Romance, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-04 14:36:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6662719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/friendlyfiction/pseuds/friendlyfiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there is one thing we know for certain about the Fairy Tail universe, it's that nothing is ever written in stone. This is a little idea scratching around in my brain for a "what if" story. What if during the tragic events that took place in the Tower of Heaven, Natsu and Erza realized how much they really meant to each other? What would it do to their relationship and what ripple effects would it have on the world around them?</p>
<p>"Because of the past we are who we are now. Every second, every action from then is linked to the here and now." - Gray Fullbuster.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (I don't think anyone ever reads these things, but i'm putting my notes here anyway)  
> I couldn't get this idea out of my head until I wrote about it, so this is mainly for my own peace, but I hope it gives someone else the enjoyment it gave me :) I've always loved Erza and Jellal, but for some reason I always thought that Erza and Natsu should have grown closer after the Tower of Heaven incident. My friends think i'm crazy, but I love how in the quiet moment he just seems to get her on a fundamental level and she has always been this unattainable ideal for him. I think with growth they would make a killer couple. With Natsu, she can be weak and let herself be protected for a change and with Erza, he is drawn back to his better nature. I don't know, at least my imagination will finally give me some shut eye! lol. I plan to write more if my inner writer won't shut up, so I won't leave it hanging here without some exploration and resolution.

Cold water splashed around Natsu’s ankles as he clutched trembling red head to his chest. The others being far off enough in the distance gave Natsu a moment to realize that something had changed between him and Erza tonight. He cradled her as gently as he could in his tired arms. Years of friendship, rivalry, and respect, had made them close, but looking at Erza, he knew that their platonic comradery had died with Jellal in the burning rubble of heaven. Exhaustion and grief made her sag into his body, but he didn’t mind the burden of her dead-weight. She had been through enough he thought, watching as ugly bruises started to darken her fair skin.

Sniffing the night air, he could sense that they others weren’t far away and we heading in their direction. He didn’t have to hold out for much longer. She would be safe. “Damn Jellal,” he muttered. Deep down he knew that she would heal from the scars she’d received tonight, but some cuts like the death of Simon (or the loss of a father) would never really heal. They went too deep for time to mend. Thoughts flashing back to her tears and how broken she had seemed, he grimaced, unconsciously pulling her tighter to his chest.

All these years and he’d never really known her till tonight; Natsu felt his chest tighten at the realization that he had idolized her all these years like everyone else in the guild. Titania: Queen of the fairies, armor clad, shining example of what a Fairy should be. Seeing her drown in that ocean of magical energy…he hadn’t felt that empty since Lisanna’s death.

“Erza! Natsu!” his dragon senses could pick up their frantic calls closing the distance. Before he could call out or stumble forward, his exhausted leg buckled. Gripping Erza, Natsu fell to his knees, sucking in his breath when the cold water soaked into his clothes. Jostled, Erza stirred in his arms, pressing into his skin for warmth. Lashes fluttering, her brown eyes looked up into his. “Natsu,” she groaned with the effort, Thank you for saving me. Looks like I owe you my life,” she smiled tiredly through the dirt and grime on her face.

Looking down at her with a dark expression that was hard to read, he said, “I know how you feel, everyone does, but don’t ever do that again.” Tears trickled down his face and landed softly in her hair. Erza said nothing in surprise. “Promise me!” he begged, “I can’t go this pain again. I need you.”

Surprise faded into understanding on Erza’s face. Her brown eyes darkened as she reached up and cupped Natsu’s face with her hand, pulling him towards her. Their breaths mingled in the cool night air and for a moment the universe held it’s breath as history rewrote itself. “I promise,” she whispered, kissing the dragon slayer’s lips with the firmness of her oath. Briefly stunned, Natsu froze, then giggled lecherously to himself as he fiercely kissed her back just in time for the other fairies to stumble onto their moment.

Before Lucy could put a hand up to her mouth in shock, or Gray could say “,Oh SHIT,” Happy let out a high pitched, “WOW!”

This was going to change things…..


	2. Titania Without Armor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza deals with the loss of Simon and Jellal in the Tower of Heaven and comes to some realizations about her relationship with Natsu...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there fellow Fairy Tail fans, still playing with the style and the direction of this (finally figured out how to put breaks in this format, lol). Not really sure where it will go yet, more or less I’m interested in what Natsu and Erza would be like together and understanding how these events really affect them as individuals. Let me know what I can improve or edit as the story moves along! And I would love some discussion on how other's view Natsu and Erza :)

It’d been four days since the traumatic series of events in the tower of heaven, but Erza was still having nightmares. Alone in the dark, with nothing but the loudness of a regretful mind to break the quiet, sleep evaded her exhausted body. Just minutes before, she had jolted awake with Simon’s name ripping from her throat. Her dream was always the same. It started off peaceful, a feeling of overwhelming contentment as Heavenly Body light seared her vision and unnatural heat radiated from Jellal’s attack. She didn’t cry or scream, because deep down she knew it was meant to end this way. How else do you atone for abandoning those you love? She would give her life to protect Natsu and the debt would be paid. 

Erza smiled in her sleep. She knew that her death would bring Natsu to another level as a wizard. The pain would unlock his inner strength to defeat Jellal and bring their painful story to a close. She relished the peace that came with an end. Open handed, she would face it like she had every other obstacle in her 17 years of life, head on.

Like every other time she’d had his dream, Erza started to close her eyes and surrender to the light, just as Simon’s shadow eclipsed the heavenly display of power. His edges burned in her vision and the smell of char tightened her throat. It’s always the same: she reaches out for him, his body slides away with the disintegrating tower. Forever lost, forever out of reach. She screams his name, “Simon!” as magic crystal cracks under her feet and swallows her into the dark. “I’ve always loved you,” is the echo she hears before starting awake in her bed. 

Bedsheets cling transparently to her skin and she struggles to get up, fighting against sore muscles and tender bruises. Finally managing to throw off her covers, Erza makes her way to the balcony connected to her room. Throwing open the French doors, she lunges into the night air, shakily breathing in its coolness. Every time she exhales another gulp of air, she can feel the panic lessen. As if sorrow is flowing out of her too, but she knows better. Little Erza had learned the lesson long ago that when you fail to protect what you love, the resulting pain and loss are yours to carry as well as their memory.

Red hair whirled in the wind, taking flight as memories of her childhood awakening played in her head: the sacrifice of Grandpa Rob, the magic fire awakening in her heart, and the fight to save Jellal. Magic energy whirled inside of Erza, it had always stemmed from her desire to fight for others, even now she would use it to temper her into a stronger warrior. Had she died at the Tower of Heaven, Natsu would have learned the same. Natsu. She smiled at the thought of his name and whatever darkness remained from the nightmare left her heart. She remembered the warmth of his skin as he’d held her in his arms that night. Why did I kiss him? She wondered. All those years protecting one another and testing each other’s powers and she’d never thought to cross that line. I understand.

That’s what he said. Wild, care free Natsu had seen through her armor, seen through the image of Titania: queen of the fairies, and looked into her heart. In that tower and on that beach, they had quietly moved beyond friendship. A tear of happiness slid down from her good eye and Erza finally acknowledged to herself that had promised Natsu more on that beach than she’d realized…


End file.
